Over 12 million vote in Gujarat elections round one

Election monitors check Electronic Voting Machines at a distribution centre at Viramgam, some 60 kms from Ahmedabad. Elections for the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 13 and 17. AFP Photo

More than 12 million people voted in Gujarat on Thursday in elections that have pitted a confident chief minister Narendra Modi against a disparate opposition.

An estimated 68% of the 18 million eligible to vote in the first phase exercised their franchise by end of balloting at 5 pm in 87 of the 182 assembly constituencies, the Election Commission said.

It was the highest voting percentage since 61.54% of the electorate voted in 2002. This slid to 59.77% in 2007. Earlier, 59.30% had voted in 1998.

In New Delhi, the Election Commission said the nine-hour polling was "totally peaceful and historic".

Both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have asserted they will win but the election is widely seen as a referendum on Modi's 11 years of controversial rule.

The third major player is the Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) of former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, who parted ways with the BJP after giving up the chief minister's chair to Modi in 2001.

The BJP has fielded candidates in all 87 seats, the Congress in 84, GPP in 83 and the Bahujan Samaj Party in 79.

Queues began forming outside many polling booths even before balloting started at 8 am. Within three hours, 18% had voted. The numbers kept rising amid pleasant weather.

Fifty-four of the 87 constituencies voting Thursday lie in Saurashtra, Keshubhai Patel's known stronghold, and 33 in south Gujarat. BJP officials say the Keshubhai factor will not affect them majorly.

There were 846 candidates in the fray, including 46 women.

Narendra Modi on Thursday urged the voters in the state to vote in the polls.

"A vote is the foundation of a strong and vibrant democracy. I urge you all to exercise your franchise," tweets Narendra Modi.

A vote is the foundation of a strong and vibrant democracy. I urge you all to exercise your franchise.